We reported a few weeks ago on the redefinition of the kilogram. In this article, Martin Vlietstra, one of our regular contributors, outlines Britain’s contribution to the creation of the prototype kilogram upon which the definition had relied since 1889.
Continue reading “How British metallurgists helped to make the first international kilogram”
The editor remembers this slogan from his time in the UK construction industry in the early 1970’s. Almost half a century later, Ronnie Cohen gives real-world examples of metric quantities that may help those who are not as familiar with metric units as they might wish.
Recent experience in France and Greece and a comment last week by Charlie P on this site has prompted us to ask if it would be better if supporters of metric measures were less pedantic.
One of the editors of Metric Views has been reading a book entitled “Eleven minutes late” by Matthew Engel. The book is subtitled “A train journey into the soul of Britain”, and may provide a clue to why the UK is taking so long to adopt fully a modern measurement system.
The Measurements units style guide, published by UKMA in 2012, is now available on line with an index. In this article, we outline the purpose of the Guide and note recent enhancements.
We look at vehicle fuel and energy consumption, and put some questions to owners of hybrid cars.
Continue reading “Vehicle fuel consumption – another muddle”
On the eve of a showdown Cabinet meeting on Brexit, one of our frequent contributors, Ronnie Cohen, asks if British attitudes both to the EU and to this country’s metric changeover are part of the same mindset.
Continue reading “Isolationist or Imperialist?”
It was decided early in the 1990s that the unit for pricing of domestic gas should change from the therm to the kilowatt hour, which is a metric unit but not SI. We ask if this made ‘metric sense’.
Continue reading “Energy units – muddle in the making?”
We note the latest contract for the renewal of London Transport’s Underground fleet.
Continue reading “Metric Underground”
It is with sadness we report that Anne Attlee, leader of the Metric Sense Campaign for almost forty years, passed away peacefully at the age of 87 on 31 May 2018.
Metric Views 